As you know, the country of Switzerland can easily take one’s breath away, astonishing with one-of-a-kind natural wonders, rich cultural background, and not very budget-friendly prices. And while an experienced tour operator can help you secure the best deals for hotels and sightseeing tours, a few things, like dining or planning your free time, are still up to you. But as our mission is to help you plan the vacation of your dreams, we’ve prepared a few suggestions on how you can ensure an unforgettable experience without overspending.
Switzerland Budget Travel: Tips and Tricks
Purchase a Swiss Coupon Pass
Eating out in Switzerland is not cheap: a three-course dinner in a mid-range restaurant costs around CHF 60 per person, and a meal in a top restaurant can easily cost more than CHF 150. If you are not traveling alone and plan to stay for a few days, you can do the math. One way to reduce the bill is the Swiss Coupon Pass. It’s a digital pass with more than 100 two-for-one offers, including restaurants, activities and attractions all over the country, and you can buy it for the whole of Switzerland or only for the regions you plan to visit. Just make sure to read the conditions of each offer, as most of them are valid only when at least two people use them together.
Ready-Made Meals Are a Valid Option
If you don’t feel like eating out all the time and are OK with the idea of purchasing some ready-made food in a local supermarket – you can save quite a decent amount of money. And we are not talking about the frozen ready meals that taste like cardboard, but delicious homemade-like food, freshly prepared in large supermarkets every morning.
In the evening, Swiss supermarkets such as Coop and Migros reduce the prices of fresh food that has to be sold that day, so ready-made meals, salads, sandwiches and baked goods are often 25–50% cheaper an hour or two before closing. Another great tool is the Too Good To Go app, which many Swiss bakeries, shops and restaurants use to sell their unsold food at the end of the day.
If you like the idea but don’t feel like hunting for discounts, there is an alternative: Äss-Bar, a Swiss chain that fights food waste by selling yesterday’s bread and pastries from local bakeries at reduced prices. You will find it in Basel, Bern, Biel, Lausanne and Winterthur. And let’s be frank: bread, cookies, or macarons don’t lose much flavor in one day, but the same can’t be said about the prices.
Try Local Wines and Spirits
You might not know this, but Switzerland has a long history of winemaking and produces exquisite wines. The reason why they are not better known around the world is that only about 1% of Swiss wine is exported, so tasting local wines is a great thing to add to your travel agenda. Many city bars offer an early-evening happy hour, which is a good way to try them for less.
However, wine is not the only drink worth trying during your trip. There are several classic Swiss drinks that you will have trouble finding anywhere else. One of them is Zuger Kirsch, a cherry brandy from Zug: about 10 kg of cherries go into a single bottle, which gives it its intense fruity aroma. Other good options for an after-dinner drink are Williamine, a pear brandy from Valais, and Appenzeller Alpenbitter, a herbal liqueur from eastern Switzerland.
Research Free Events at Your Destination
Of course, there are plenty of great things to do that won’t cost you a penny, such as enjoying a stroll through the cobbled streets of Zurich, relaxing on the shores of Lake Geneva, or hiking in the Swiss National Park. However, a wide choice of unique options specific to Switzerland is also available. For example, did you know that CERN, near Geneva, one of the world’s biggest and most important centers of scientific research and home to the one-and-only Large Hadron Collider, is free to visit? Just register online for the Science Gateway in advance. Or, if the city of Zurich is on your travel itinerary, make sure to stop by the Natural History Museum of the University of Zurich. Its zoology, palaeontology and anthropology collections are free to visit and interesting for adults and children alike.
Plus, always research the museums and galleries you want to see beforehand, as you might find some loopholes. For example, Lausanne’s Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts, known as MCBA, has one of the most impressive art collections in the country, and its permanent collection is free to visit, while temporary exhibitions are free on the first Saturday of the month.
Switzerland is not as unaffordable as its reputation suggests. The key is to do substantial research beyond the list of famous must-sees. Many people share their experiences on thematic forums, and seasoned travelers sometimes offer helpful tips on their blogs. There are great sources that can provide you with all you need to know, and all you need to do is find the information you can trust. But be strong and patient because you are in for a long ride, as organizing even a four-day tour to Switzerland takes hours of research. So, the smartest way to go is to leave orchestrating your vacation to a trusted travel specialist who has learned all the tricks over years of practical experience and is happy to share them with you.
